The Breakdown
Pros
Cons
My Glove Experience
Everyone that knows me understands that I have a mild glove fetish. At one time I had over 20 pairs of motorcycle gloves, including a pair of fingerless gloves I don’t recall ever wearing.
I’ve also reviewed several pairs of gloves in the past for wBW such as the Spidi Avant Garde and Spidi STS-R.
Over time several pairs wore out and others were given away (with some encouragement from my spouse) until I found myself with only two pairs. A heavy pair of winter gloves and a pair of mesh summer gloves with nothing to fill the void in between.
Enter the REV’IT Bastille gloves, a perfect ‘tweener’ glove for spring.
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RevZilla
Free shipping on orders over $40
30-day no-nonsense return policy
Excellent selection of all major brands
Awesome pricing
A Little About REV’IT
We at wBW are no stranger to REV’IT motorcycle gear. REV’IT has headquarters in both the Netherlands and New York City with a reputation for making nice quality, well fitting, motorcycle gear.
I’m not sure if the Bastille gloves are named after the French fortress/prison or the British boy band. Perhaps the name implies the protection of the fortress and the hipness of the pop-rock band. They do give off a stylish retro vibe while hiding some surprising safety features, so let’s take a closer look at them.
Sizing
All my gloves are a size medium but the REV’IT size chart put me squarely in the middle between a size small and a medium. Since I have some arthritis in my hands I decided to go with the bigger size. They do fit but the size chart is right on as these are just slightly too large. This is most evident in the fingers as they’re a smidge too long.
I don’t mind the extra length in the fingers, in fact, a lot of my gloves put pressure on the end of my index fingers when I ride, so the extra length is welcome there. The extra length in the thumb, however, did make using the controls a little bit awkward at first.
They are quite comfortable though and the more I ride with them the more comfortable they get. The leather is pretty pliable, and the lining is slick and soft. I found the opening was large enough to get the gloves off and on easily.
Construction
The Bastille gloves are made out of thick drum-dyed goatskin leather. They feel completely different than the $20 pleather gloves found at my local motorcycle dealership.
These feel more like the heavy leather gloves my dad used to wear for his flat track races back in the ’60s although these are a heck of a lot softer and much fancier looking. Goatskin leather breaks in and conforms to your hands very quickly and is considered very durable.
Design Features
Accordion pleats on the back of the hand and the outside of the thumb allow for more freedom of movement and the pre-curved fingers provide a comfortable grip wrapped around the throttle.
Extra pieces of leather at the base of the fingers, outside of the little finger and wrapped around the outside edge of the hand and base of the palm are all double stitched.
Finger construction involves a top and a bottom with the two sides meeting with a center seam over the end of the fingers. The thumb is also constructed with a top and a bottom, but the sides wrap over the top in one continuous piece with no seam.
Outer edges of the retention strap and the lower edge of the short cuff are wrapped with PU (polyurethane) coated fabric that makes a nice soft edge while the interior has a nylon type lining. There are seams on the inside that I can feel. I thought the one at the base of the thumb would bother me when I ride but I never seemed to notice it. I’ve not noticed any issues with any of the other seams.
There are no vents or perforations so these will probably get warm during the heat of the summer but I’ve been riding with them in 50-60°F weather this spring and they’ve been quite comfortable.
Shopping Now? We Recommend:
webBikeWorld has worked closely with RevZilla over the years to provide our testers with products to review. In addition to being a great site to shop from, they’re also a great partner.
RevZilla
Free shipping on orders over $40
30-day no-nonsense return policy
Excellent selection of all major brands
Awesome pricing
Styling
The Bastille gloves are part of REV’IT’s Urban collection made specifically for hipsters and scrambler riders.
Well, I’m way too old to be a hipster but I do ride a scrambler (or I will if it ever gets here) so I guess I’m the intended audience for these gloves. They do have a simple vintage look that I like and they do remind me of the ’60s although I don’t remember gloves being that pretty back then.
The accordion pleats are both functional and stylish and the fake snap on the retention strap is a nice nod to the vintage look. Safety features are subtle and nicely incorporated as is the minimal branding, an embossed REV’IT! along the base of the retention strap.
These are nice looking gloves that don’t particularly scream motorcycle gloves. Along with the black shown here, they also come in a pretty brown color and come in both men and women’s sizes.
Safety Features
The Bastille gloves are not meant to provide race level protection but they do have some features incorporated into the design that make them safer than they perhaps look while carrying a CE Level 1 designation.
To begin with they’re all leather which despite the popularity of synthetic materials is still considered excellent protection. They also sport Temperfoam knuckle padding on the first 3 fingers and thumb.
The entire outside of the little finger has an extra layer of leather with another extra piece of leather wrapping around the outside of the hand to the base of the palm with what feels like gel padding underneath. There is an additional piece of leather on the palm at the base of the fingers.
On the inside, the palm is lined with the REV’IT PWR/shield material, created with a unique knit technique that results in a fabric with “unsurpassed cut, tear, and abrasion resistance” which lends a surprising level of protection in these fairly non-descript gloves.
To round out the safety features there is a thick wrap-around retention strap that adds an extra layer of leather to the back of the hand and fastens with a long length of hook and loop fabric. Beneath the strap is a strip of zig-zag elastic to provide even more security.
I was unable to pull these gloves off with the strap fastened. They do not have any reflective qualities.
Conclusion
The REV’IT Bastille gloves are well made, nice looking, vintage style gloves that look good on or off the bike. And for gloves made to look good and retail at $99.99, they have sneaky good levels of protection that will help keep your skin unscathed and your manicure intact.
Pros
- Stylish vintage gloves
- Good protection
- Comfortable on the bike
Cons
- Use the size chart
- Interior seams are noticeable
- No reflective material
Specs
- Manufacturer: REV’IT
- Price (When Tested): $99.99
- Made In: Europe
- Alternative models & colors: Black or Brown
- Sizes: SM – 3XL
- Review Date: April 2019
Shopping Now? We Recommend:
webBikeWorld has worked closely with RevZilla over the years to provide our testers with products to review. In addition to being a great site to shop from, they’re also a great partner.
RevZilla
Free shipping on orders over $40
30-day no-nonsense return policy
Excellent selection of all major brands
Awesome pricing
With all due respect, gloves without palm sliders need to be banished back to where they came from, the old days. Along with cars with no seat belts and open face helmets. You go down, you put your hands to stop the fall and snap goes the schaphoid. Please, as a motojournalist stop reviewing any gloves without them, for the sake of all motorcycle riders. This article covers the issue pretty well. https://www.mcgearhub.com/motorcycle-gloves/scaphoid-protection-motorcycle-gloves-palm-sliders-or-not/
Hi David,
I’m the editor of wBW and wanted to reply to you personally. Your comment caused quite a stir among the team. Donna, Kathy, Brandon, Jim, Jennifer, Bruce, Wade, and I all had a discussion about it. We take this kind of feedback very seriously, as we are committed to preserving our editorial integrity and transparency with our readers. We understand that trust is earned, and we view each review, article, and conversation as an opportunity to earn yours.
The consensus among the team is that we need to continue to review gloves without palm sliders. There are a few reasons that shaped this conclusion.
The first is that, while we advocate for ATGATT riding and choosing quality gear that offers maximum protection, we are not here to dictate to our readers what they should or should not wear. We do not believe it is our place to tell someone not to ride open face, or not to buy gloves without palm sliders. That is a choice that is up to the rider, based on their situation, preferences, experiences, and ultimately, “want” to do.
Much like the mandatory helmets vs. no helmets debate, there is a fine line that must be walked between safety and personal agency. We will inform and educate in order to provide important context.
The second point is that our job is not to dictate what you can/should buy, but instead to help you make informed decisions about the gear you are investing in. We feel it would be a disservice to our readers not to review the gear that is out there, as we know that sources of unbiased and unslanted reviews are rare and far between. In an era of fake news, fake views, fake reviews, and fake everything else, we want to remain an outlet that is open about our thoughts and assessments of the gear that we review. It is in this spirit that we’ve decided to note safety gaps in gear, so that our readers are aware of the compromises in safety that they are making, but to also judge the gear objectively based on what it is.
To quote Kathy, “riders make choices on levels of protection with all types of gear. We need to provide all the information we can and suggest which might offer better protection, but I don’t think we should eliminate entire groups of gear because they do not offer the maximum level of protection.”
Ultimately, we are here to review the product and not the decision. We leave that to our readers, and hope that we’ve helped empower them to make an informed decision that best meets their needs.
Now, all of that said, you raise an important point regarding palm sliders and their impacts to safety. We are going to explore this issue in-depth later this summer and ensure that this information is available in glove reviews. We will give readers every opportunity to become engaged and informed.
Thank you for your feedback. I hope this conversation helped provide context surrounding our perspective. Thank you so much for reading and engaging us. Please continue to do so.
Best,
Cameron
Wow, I didn’t mean to cause such a ruckus. I never really believed anyone would literally do as I said. Mostly I just wanted to make a strong case about wearing gloves with sliders since there’s no downside to them (you can’t feel them) and they are safer. I’ve slid on them myself.
Nonetheless, I appreciate the thoughtful response. I wish I had more time right now to provide my own. I get that this stuff is far from black and white and as journalists you’re also hamstrung in some fashion about what you can and can’t say. For example, Revit wouldn’t let you get away with reviewing a glove without sliders then having a footnote that points out how important palm sliders are.
But I’ll say this: personally, I wouldn’t review anything I wouldn’t be willing to use in my own gear rotation. I’d say if any reviewer honors this then who could really complain? But having had my palms slide on the street in an accident sure makes clear for me what gloves I’ll be wearing every day, without exception. Like many people, my livelihood depends on my hands.
What is unfortunate though is that it seems so many riders don’t get better gear until they’ve personally been hurt from the cheaper stuff. Seems like there should be some way to help change that, no? 😉 I was run off the highway at about 70 mph and thank God I had no compromise, awesome gear on and so only missed a month of work. Could have been much worse.
Lastly, there’s this idea that our words, both verbal and written, don’t merely describe the world as it is but they also create the world around us, both for ourselves and others.
I posted this on Facebook too. I’ll add this last part now so the discussion doesn’t go on forever, I mean, we all have lives. 🙂 But do consider that anytime a respected source gives a positive review of a product, there will be people who then go out and buy it. I know I have, from your site included. So, not just reporting, but creating. Literally, the pen has the power to create. Just a thought.
Thank you again for the response, it makes clear that WBW cares about what it’s up to, which is why I’ve been following you guys since the 00’s . 🙂
First, this is a healthy discussion and one I am very happy to be having. You have raised excellent points. Candidly, your viewpoint is not dissimilar to my own. I ride wearing under armor, gauntlet gloves (with palm sliders ;)), a full face (or at least a modular), boots, and so on. I value my hide.
I wanted to address one of your comments to provide clarity.
To be blunt, we are not beholden to the brands that supply us gear. We state specifically that we reserve our right to write whatever we want. If this damages our relationship with the brand, while unfortunate, it will not in any way influence our opinions. YOU, our reader, are our customer. YOU, our reader, is who we take feedback from.
So, we fully intend to include a note on every non-palm slider glove that links over to the pending article on palm sliders. We want our readers to have every opportunity to understand their decisions and make sure that they’re making the right ones. Trust me, I have heard your words loud and clear 🙂
wBW is independent and we defend, relentlessly, this stance. I genuinely believe that this is the foundation of the relationship we have with our readers.
I’m not sure if perhaps I misinterpreted your comment, but I wanted to ensure that the above sentiments were clear and understood by all. We are wBW. We are made for, and written by, riders just like you.
This is the legacy that Rick, the founder of wBW, left and it’s one I intend to preserve. He created something special, and it is such a privilege for me to have the opportunity to help push his legacy forward. I know that sounds cheesy, but it is what I believe.
Thank you for instigating such an important conversation.
Cheers,
Cameron
I’m glad to know I’m not causing upset in the world; life’s hard enough!
“Let” wasn’t the right word. I didn’t have much time and was writing that post from my bleeping phone keyboard. My point was something like if I were Rev’it I’d respond something like this, “If you’re going to review one of our gloves without sliders then imply later in the article that it’s less safe than a glove with sliders, then just review one of Rev’it’s many offerings with palm sliders.” No biggie, but if I were Rev’it that’s surely how I’d feel. So, another gray area and not exactly simple situation.
I get emails every morning and see posts from you guys pop up on Facebook and I read every one of them, as you can probably tell by now. 🙂 I’m a moto nut, a gear nut and obviously a rider safety nut too so… it’s just passion. Maybe it’s David Hough’s fault 😉 I think the first motorcycle book I ever read was Proficient Motorcycling which certainly helped set me up with a belief system that though there’s risk in riding, there are many things we can (and ought to) do to help mitigate them.
It’s all good and I’m glad to see such a valuable resource continue to take journalism, integrity and even rider safety and education seriously. As you mentioned before, we’re living in a world of people that have access to thousands if not millions of minds but many have hidden agendas.
Ahh, insightful observation, to which I’d reply “true, your points re: palm sliders make sense, but also consider that people are still going to choose gear without it and it makes sense to have the web’s highest quality moto review site represent your gear in a clear, objective, and unbiased fashion.”
In those situations, we just buy the gear we intend to review.
Thanks for being a fan, David. Enjoy the season, and ride safe!
Excellent review, very in depth and clear, thank you very much.